SOLVED: Twitter Rate Limit Exceeded
Nothing in excess is good, and Twitter knows it. When you use Twitter after a while, you might get a “Rate Limited” error message.
This strange error message has haunted Twitter users for years, and sometimes, finding a solution for it is not as straightforward as we would like.
The limit applies to API calls that take place within the Twitter application.
If you are a little lost, worry not - we’ll further elaborate on this matter.
Continue reading this post to learn more about:
- What does “Twitter Rate Limit Exceeded” mean?;
- How to fix the “Sorry, you are rate limited, please try again later” message;
- What to know about API calls and Twitter Data.
What Does “Twitter Rate Limit Exceeded” Mean?
When you make an API call using third-party Twitter apps, the platform examines what’s happening.
If, by any chance, you happen to exceed the set number of calls within a certain window of time, you will get limited from Twitter today.
This Twitter-enforced limitation on the Twitter’s API applies to your Twitter account rather than to the third-party app you are using.
Twitter sets a limit on external Twitter applications using their own API to prevent platform abuse and server overload.
Too many requests from third-party applications at the same time could cause problems with Twitter.
There are other limits implemented in frequent updates, such as “ This Request Looks Automated”, the “ Account Locked due to Unusual Activity” and “ Something went wrong. Try reloading.”.
How Long Does the Twitter Rate Limits Last?
Normally, the Rate Limit Exceeded message lasts for a few minutes. You won’t be able to post messages, connect third-party apps, and like the last few tweets until the rate limit status disappears.
Direct messages are also off the table. All in all, all things related to your Twitter username (including any direct message and like) will be “frozen” for 15 minutes or so.
Why Does Twitter Limit the Number of Requests?
Twitter limits the number of requests via Twitter API mainly to prevent spam and malicious activity like DDoS attacks or API misuse.
Another reason Twitter limits its API is to make its platform more scalable - if any spikes in usage arise, they can deploy and shift the resources accordingly, assuring platform stability.
Overall, from a technical standpoint, limiting API is a good practice and security measure.
When third-party apps communicate with Twitter, they are essentially requesting data from the site.
This API limit helps users and web-based Twitter clients to maintain the overall stability needed to work properly.
How Many API Calls Per Hour Can You Make on Twitter?
According to official Twitter sources, apps can make 100 API calls per hour. You might need to make less API calls if you want the reset time to accelerate.
Still, the frequency in which any external app requests data is changed on the new Twitter API v2. We could summarize these limits in the following way:
| --- | --- | --- |
| Resource | Endpoint | API Calls per 15 minutes (App) |
| Tweets | Search tweets, tweet counts, manage tweets, etc. | 450 per search, 1500 per user timeline, 900 per Twitter lookup. |
| Lists | Create, delete and update lists | Up to 300 calls. |
| Likes | Tweets liked by users and users who have liked tweets. | 75. |
| Users | User lookup and follows lookup | 900 per user lookup, 15 per following. |
| Spaces | Spaces lookup and search Spaces | 300 calls. |
This is a summary of the things you can expect if you use the API with external Twitter applications. To get more in detail, go to the aforementioned official Twitter website.
How To Fix “Twitter Rate Limit Exceeded”
Now that you know why Twitter sets this rate limit exceeded message, it;s time to learn how to fix it.
Some users have stated that resetting your Twitter password can do the trick within minutes. Nonetheless, this isn’t a proven method, so let’s take a look at other alternatives.
1. Lower the Total Percentage on the Twitter API Tab
One of the main things that Twitter recommends is to lower the total percentage of calls on your external Twitter application.
Typically, just go to the Settings Window, Twitter API Tab, and lower it to 60-70%. As you might imagine, you will get less updated, but at least you won’t get rate limited!
2. Use a Single Twitter App at a Time
You probably need to use more than one single app, and that’s understandable, but sometimes, persistence is more important than velocity.
So, make sure that you are only using a single app. Otherwise, the rate limit exceeded message might continue appearing.
3. Do Not Overuse the Refresh Button
According to Twitter, if you click on “Refresh,” this will cost you several calls per click. Therefore, if you want to reset time fast, you better leave that app alone.
That’s all for now! Hope you got your questions sorted out. For more Twitter information, Grow Following is your way to go.
FAQ
Can My Twitter Account Get Banned for API Misuse?
Yes - you can get your Twitter Account banned for API policy violations. For that reason, we recommend carefully reading all dos and don’ts of Twitter API usage.
Karen is a senior technical writer and copywriter here at GrowFollowing. Her area of expertize are social media apps and new media.